Printing machine



Filed April 1-9, 1940 3' Sheets-Sheet 1 Mi J ilH

INVENTOR March 2, 1943. E. E. DALTON PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 19, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1943. LTON PRINTINQ; MACHINE Filed April 19 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v l VENTOR KM B QAMAO.

III

ATTORNE Patented Mar. 2, 1943 PRINTING MACHINE Elof E. Dalton, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,606

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to printing or lithographing machines and has particular reference to printing on containers or the like by means of a movable screen.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved screen type printing or lithographing machine wherein the screen moves relative to the work and the squeegee, which cooperates with the screen, is a stationary member.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein the squeegee may be shifted on the screen while performing the function so that it may be moved out of the way of projections on the work, such as ears on a pail, and thereby permit printing on such a surface beyond the projections.

Another object is the provision of a machine of this character wherein the squeegee is movable away from the screen so that printing by the screen during movement in one direction is prevented while printing during movement of the screen in another direction is permitted.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a printing ma chine embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away and other parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially along the broken line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal view taken substantially along the broken line 33 in Fig. 2 and rotated through an angle of ninety degrees in comparison with Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a detail of the machine; and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal view taken substantially along the broken line 55 in Fig. 2 and rotated through an angle of ninety degrees in comparison with that figure. I

As a preferred embodiment of the instant 1nvention the drawings disclose an improved printing machine for printing or lithographing labels or the like in various colors if desired, on pails A such as lead kegs, paint pails, etc. In some cases the pails may have ears B secured to them for the reception of a bail or handle.

The pail A is preferably rotated adjacent to and in time with the lineal travel of a moving screen C which is made of liquid-proofed silk fabric material or the like and which is formed with a cut-out or porous design D adapted to be machine base I I.

printed on the pail. As the screen 'moves along a predetermined path of travel it is pressed against the rotating pail by a stationary squeegee E. A fluid printing material, as for example, ink or paint, is introduced onto the moving screen in front of the squeegee and the latter presses the paint through the design portion of the screen onto the pail. What paint is not used for printing is wiped oil the screen by the squeegee and is returned later for re-use.

' The various parts of the machine are carried on a frame which includes a long narrow base I I (Figs. 1 and 5) having an upright bracket I2 secured to each end thereof. The tops of these two brackets are tied together by a long narrow top plate I 3.

Near the middle of the machine there is provided a pair of rotatable chucks I6, I! (Fig. 2) arranged to clamp between them in a vertical position a pail A to be printed. The lower chuck I6 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft I8 carried in a' bearing I9 formed in the The shaft extends down into the base and may be rotated in any suitable manner.

The upper chuck I1 is mounted on the lower end of a vertical stem 2| which is carried in a bearing 22 formed in the machine top plate I3. .The stem is located in vertical alignment with the driving shaft I8 of the lower chuck IS. A compression spring 24 interposed between the upper chuck I1 and its stem bearing 22 and disposed around the stem, keeps the upper chuck tightly pressed against the top of the pail A which is disposed on the lower chuck and this prevents displacement of the pail. The chucks also retain the pail in a concentric position between them.

Provision is made for raising the upper chuck I! to allow for positioning the pail on the lower chuck I6. For this purpose the upper end of the stem 2| extends above the machine top plate I3 and is formed with a ball 26 (Figs. 2 and 4) which is part of a ball and socket connection 21 attached to one end of a handle lever 28. The lever is carried on a pivot pin 29 secured in a pair of spaced lugs 3| formed on the machine top plate I3. Thus by pulling down on the handle the chuck I I may be readily raised to clear a pail being brought into place.

The screen C is disposed in avertical position and is adjacent the pail A when carried between the chuck I6, I'I. It is spaced away from the pail a slight distance so that it does not normally touch it. The screen is arranged longitudinally of the machine. Th screen is stretched over a preferably Wooden frame 35 of rectangular shape and this frame is secured by adjustable screws 36 in a surrounding metal traveling frame 31. The adjusting screws provide an easy means of aligning the screen, or rather, the design on the screen, with the pail for the proper imprinting of the design and for proper color registration when a plurality of colors are used in the design.

The traveling frame 31 in turnis supported for longitudinal movement in the machine by way of depending slide blocks 4| which are formed on the lower corners of the frame. Each of these blocks have a pair of spaced and parallel longitudinal shaped groove 42 formed in their bottom surfaces. The slide blocks ride on a pair of spaced and parallel V-shaped runners or slideways 43 which engage in the grooves 42. These slideways 43 are secured in the top of the machine base II and extend the full length of the machine between its end brackets l2.

The top of the traveling frame 31 is also supported in order to retain the screen in a vertical position. This is brought about'by a pair of bearing lugs 45 which are formed on the frame at its upper corners. These bearing lugs slide on a stationary longitudinal slide bar 4 3 which extends the full length of the machine. The ends of the slide bar are secured in bearings 41 formed on the machine end brackets |'2.

Movement of the traveling frame 31 longitudinally of the machine i effected in time with the rotation of the pail A. This is brought about by a long rack 5| which extends along the bottom of the frame. The ends of the rack are secured in recesses 52 formed in the slide blocks 4|. The rack meshes with and is driven by a gear 54 which is carried on the lower chuck shaft l8. The gear is proportioned to move the traveling frame 31 at the same lineal speed as the peripheral speed of the rotating'pail.

The printing of the design on the rotating pail is preferably effected while the traveling frame 31 and the screen C carried therein moves through a forward stroke, i. e., from left to right as viewed in Fig. 1. During this travel of the frame the paint hereinbefore mentioned is introduced upon the screen.

The paint is preferably contained in a reservoir 56 which is formed on the machine top plate I3. An outlet pipe 51 leads from this reservoir to one side of a flow regulation valve '58. The other side of the valve is connected to a spout or nozzle 59 which terminates adjacent the path of travel of the screen and is formed to direct the paint flowing through it onto the outer surface of the screen, i. e., the surface furthest away from the pail so that the paint will run down over the screen.

The paint is applied to the screen C directly in front of the squeegee E which is located opposite the pail on the side of the screen which receives the paint, the screen thus being between the pail and the squeegee. Thi squeegee is preferably made of resilient rubber and engages the screen at an angle as shown in Fig. 3.

The squeegee is carried in an arm 6| which is secured to a vertical shaft 62 having its lower end supported in a bearing formed in the machine base II and having its upper end supported in a bearing 63 formed in the machine top plate l'3. Adjacent its lower end the shaft carries a lever '64 having connected thereto a tension spring 65 which is attached to a pin 65 secured in the machine base I l.

The spring 65 pulls on the lever 6i and thus forces the squeegee against the moving screen C. This presses the screen against the rotating pail and as the paint falls on the screen in front of the squeegee the latter wipes it along the screen surface. When the design portion D of the screen comes adjacent the pail the squeegee presses the paint through the screen onto the pail and this results in the design being printed onto the pail.

Paint that is not used for printing is wiped off the screen by the squeegee and runs down into a funnel trough 63 disposed adjacent the lower edge of the screen and directly under the squeegee. The trough is connected to a pipe 69 which conveys the unused paint to a pump H which forces it back into the reservoir 55 for re-use. A suitable pipe line may connect the pump and the reservoir for this purpose.

When the pail A is formed with bail ears B provision is made for permitting the screen to pass without interfering with them. This is effected by forming clearance depressions 15 in the screen at the proper places so that the cars will enter them and thereby clear the screen.

Provision is also made for shifting the squeegee along the screen to a position below the level of the ears when they come adjacent the squeegee so the latter will clear the ear depressions T5 in th screen. This is brought about by cam action. For this purpose the inner end of the spring lever 64 is formed with a ball 16 which operates in a cam track 11 formed in a cam 18 secured to the traveling frame slide blocks 4|.

The cam track 11 is in two sections, an upper section 8| and a lower section 82 (see Fig. l). The upper section is formed with depressed sections 83 and it is these sections which shift the spring lever 64, shaft 62, squeegee arm 6|, and squeegee E down along the screen and out of the way of the bail ears B when they come adjacent the squeegee and as the cam 18 moves on the forward stroke with the screen.

At the end of the forward stroke of the screen the ball end 16 of the spring lever 64 rides down into the lower section 82 of the cam track 11. This is brought about by an angular cam section 84 which connects the upper with the lower cam sections. The lower cam section 82 is more shallow than the upper cam section 8|. Hence as the screen C begins to move back on a return stroke to its original position for a subsequent printing operation, the ball end 16 of the spring lever 64 traverses the shallow lower cam section 82 after having rocked the lever outwardly.

This rocking of the lever rotates the shaft 62 and hence swings the squeegee E outwardly away from the screen. Therefore it is clear of the screen during its return movement. This holds the screen away from the printed pail and thus prevents smearing of the paint on the pail.

During this return movement of the screen C the upper pail chuck I! is raised on the pail as hereinbefore explained and the latter is removed. At the end of the return stroke of the screen the ball end 16 of the spring lever 64 passes from the lower cam section 82 and rides up along an inclined cam section 86 and is thus returned to the upper cam section 8|. This completes the printing operation and the printed pail is manually removed and a new pail to be printed is placed in position between the chucks in readiness for the next forward stroke of the screen.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent I that various changes may be made in the form.

construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A machine for printing on cylindrical containers, comprising a fabric screen carrying a design to be printed, means for supporting a container to be printed adjacent said screen, means for positively rotating said container supporting means, devices actuated by said container rotating means for moving said screen alon a predetermined path of travel past said rotating container in one direction on a printing stroke and in a reverse direction on a return str0ke,paint applying means for depositing printing paint on said moving screen, a stationary squeegee adjacent said screen for pressing the latter against the container while spreading the paint on the screen and for wiping the paint through the design portion of the screen onto the container as the design portion comes adjacent the container wall on the printing stroke of the screen, and mechanism for shifting said squeegee away from said screen to clear the container on the return stroke so that smearing of the printing on the container will be prevented, there being means present to shift said squeegee transversely of said screen to avoid contact with projections on said container.

2. A machine for printing on cylindrical containers, comprising a pair of cooperating chucks for clamping and rotating a container to be printed, a screen frame having a fabric screen carrying a design to be printed, a gear on one of said chucks, a rack on said screen frame in mesh with said gear for moving said screen along a predetermined path of travel past said container, means for positively driving said gear for rotating said chucks and said clamped container and for simultaneously moving said rack and its supported screen, a nozzle adjacent the path of travel of said screen for applying printing paint thereto, a stationary squeegee adjacent said screen for pressing the latter against the rotating container while spreading the paint on the screen and for wiping the paint through the design portion of the screen onto the container when the design portion comes adjacent the container wall, and means on said screen frame for shifting said squeegee with respect to said screen.

3. A machine for printing on pails having bail ears, comprising means for supporting said pail, a fabric screen carrying a design to be printed, said screen having clearance depressions for the bail ears on the pail, means for positively rotating said pail supporting means and further op-, erable for moving said screen along a predetermined path of travel past said supported pail, means for applying printing paint onto said screen, and a squeegee adjacent said screen for pressing the latter against the pail while spreadin the paint on the screen and for wiping the paint through the design portion of the screen onto the pail when the design portion comes adjacent the wall thereof.

4. A machine for printing on pails having bail ears, comprising means for supporting said pail, a fabric screen carrying a design to be printed onto the pail, said screen having clearance depressions for the bail ears on the pail, devices for moving said screen along a predetermined path. of travel past said supported pail, means for applying printing paint onto said screen, a squeegee adjacent said screen for pressing the latter against the pail while spreading the paint on the screen for wiping the paint through the design portion of the screen onto the pail when the design portion comes adjacent the wall of the pail, and mechanism for shifting said squeegee while maintaining it in contact with said screen to clear the bail ears on thepail when they come adjacent the screen so that printing on the pail may be effected beyond the bail ears as well as between them.

5. In a machine for printing on cylindrical containers, the combination of means to rotate a container about an axis, means to reciprocate a screen in a plane parallel to said axis, means to move a squeegee arcu-ately about an axis parallel to said first named axis and means to move said squeegee along its axis.

ELOF E. DALTON. 

